עֹ֫צֶר (o.tser)
o.tser
coercion
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun otser primarily denotes a forceful restriction or constraint. It describes the act of holding something back through pressure or power, creating a sense of confinement. In its most literal sense, it refers to the physical or legal barriers that limit freedom of movement or action.
A significant nuance appears when this word is applied to biology and fertility. Several biblical passages use otser to describe a "closed" or "barren" womb. Here, the concept of restraint shifts from external force to internal blockage, illustrating how the inability to conceive is viewed as a form of natural confinement.
This dual usage highlights the word's theological weight in texts like Psalms and Isaiah. It often appears in contexts where human limitations or divine judgments are discussed. Translators typically render it as "coercion" or "restraint," capturing the tension between what is held back and what seeks to break free.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word otser describes a forceful restraint, whether it is an external pressure that limits freedom or an internal blockage that prevents life from flowing. In ancient texts, this term often appears when discussing physical confinement or the painful silence of a barren womb. It captures the heavy reality of being held back by circumstances beyond our control.
For your faith, this word offers comfort in seasons of limitation. When you feel restricted by suffering or unable to move forward, know that God sees the weight of that pressure. The biblical narrative does not ignore these constraints; it brings them into the light. Even in isolation or silence, your presence is known and valued.
Isaiah 53:8 uses this concept to describe the suffering servant, who was taken away by oppression. This reminds us that God is present even in the deepest valleys of injustice. You are not forgotten when life feels closed off. His grace sustains you through every form of restraint.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- from/ oppression1×
- from/ [the] pressure of1×
- and/ barrenness of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מֵ/עֹ֤צֶר1×
- מֵ/עֹ֖צֶר1×
- וְ/עֹ֪צֶ֫ר1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 53:8
He was taken away by oppression and judgment. As for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people?
This verse applies the concept of oppressive restraint to the suffering servant, highlighting how unjust judgment can silence and remove a righteous person.
-
Proverbs 30:16
Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’
Here, the 'barren womb' is listed among things that never say enough, using the idea of internal confinement to illustrate insatiable desire.
-
Psalms 107:39
Again, they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.
The psalmist links diminishment and sorrow directly to oppression, showing how external coercion can bow down the human spirit.